Top 10 Best Drum Brands

The right drum brand can make all the difference in your sound, style, and overall playing experience. Whether you're jamming out in a garage band, laying down tracks in a studio, or performing on stage in front of a crowd, the drums you choose help shape your musical identity. But with so many brands out there, it can be tough to figure out which ones truly stand above the rest.

That's where this list comes in. It's a collection of some of the most highly regarded drum brands, built by votes from drummers like yourself. You'll find brands that have earned their reputation for quality, craftsmanship, and innovation over the years. Each brand has its unique offerings, from beginners' kits to top-tier professional gear, catering to various tastes and styles.

The Top Ten

  1. Pearl

    I have been using Pearl drums for many years, and they are hands down one of the best drum kits I have ever played on. From the shell of the drums to the high-end quality of the sound that is coming out of the drums, there is no other drum company that even comes close to comparison. I have used many other drum companies, and it's just not the same as Pearl drums! I would recommend Pearl to any drummer who wants great looks, well-made drums to stand the test of time, high-end quality sound, and just overall the craftsmanship and the amount of time and effort put in to truly make the best in class drums... no question asked!

    My parents recently bought me a Pearl 12-piece Master Custom, which cost them $8,000 for the drums only, without cymbals. I have 7 rack toms, 2 floor toms, 1 gold-plated Ford Corian snare, and a double bass drum.

    I also got a 16-piece Zildjian K Series cymbal set, which includes 7 crashes, 4 splashes, 2 chinas, 2 rides, and 1 hi-hat.

    I think the K Series ride sounds bad, so I recently bought a Stewart Copeland Blue Bell ride, which cost me $1,000. I found the best-sounding drums from Pearl to be the rack toms. They sound so sharp, and they don't even need a plastic ring to stop the sound from continuing.

    The reason I chose Pearl is that they sound amazing for their low price. They are also the best-looking drums ever made. My Pearl Master Custom rocks with all my cymbals!

  2. DW Drums

    All the other companies make great gear. However, the attention to detail that goes into every DW drum kit is what makes the difference. John Good has come up with some amazing ways to get drums to sound the way everyone wants them to.

    They are very pricey (my new 7-piece, drums only, comes to $5,000 - and I got a screaming deal). But I believe the quality is unmatched. I have owned one Yamaha kit, two Pacific kits (PDP), and a Taye kit. I am super stoked about my newest adventure.

    Like I said, the other companies on this list make great gear too, just not as "perfect" as DW in my opinion. I spent months looking for a new kit. DW came out on top, but a close second were Mapex and Tama. Third was the Yamaha PHX, and fourth was Gretsch. Pearl and Yamaha kits were further down the line.

    Pearl has always seemed "mass-produced" to me, and so does a huge portion of the Yamaha line. While I know people will tout the Pearl Master Series, I had a friend who owned a set. Even though he had them tuned well, there was still a feeling of "mass production" to me. They were nice drums, very nice by today's standards. I just didn't feel that the quality surpassed other kits. When you hold a DW drum and then hold another drum, I think you can feel the difference in quality.

  3. Tama

    I've been with Tama for years. In my own personal opinion, they are the all-around best drum company. They are built very strong with many attachments anyone can get. You can get custom-made or just a basic set. I started with a simple 5-piece Swingstar, and now it's a crazy set I play with my industrial band and the sessions I do. They are just built to last. That's why I've had mine for 13 years.

    Not to say Tama's Iron Cobras aren't built just as strong and don't last forever. Just my own opinion, but my best friend plays Pearl, which is just as strong. But I stick with Tama, baby.

    Tama is unmatched and the best, with DW coming in a strong second. Tama drums have the best sound quality, durability, and longevity, all at a competitive price. They're easy to tune too.

    Tama and DW sound a lot alike in my opinion, but the price is very different. Whole paycheck DW's versus half paycheck Tama's. The bottom line is you're getting your money's worth out of both kits, no doubt about that. Really, it's whatever your preference is, but mine has always been TAMA = BEST and always will be. They're the king of drums!

  4. Ludwig

    I remember my father coming home with a champagne sparkle 1969 Ludwig. At first, I didn't like the set because of the look. Being a kid of the '80s, it didn't seem to fit the style of music I wanted to play. But when I started picking up on rudiments and technique better, the set became the grounding force in the beginnings of my drum playing.

    Later on, I remember trading my set and getting a Mapex Saturn series drum set, which only lasted a couple of years until it fell apart on me! Thirty years later, I've come full circle and bought a Ludwig Keystone champagne sparkle set with a 13-inch rack, 24-inch bass drum, 16-inch floor tom, and 18-inch floor tom with a 402 14" x 6.5" snare.

    In all the drums I've owned through the years, ranging from Yamaha to DW to Tama as well as Mapex, I can say in my heart Ludwig will always have an iconic sound that no other drum can duplicate!

  5. Mapex

    Mapex has been my favorite brand for almost four years. When I started playing, I had an entry-level Pearl drum and intended to upgrade to another Pearl set. But I switched to Mapex after a friend recommended them. Needless to say, they were right, and I've loved every Mapex set I've had.

    The prices are reasonable for what you're getting, which is a great instrument that will last years. The only reason I've traded up is personal taste, but I would be very content to have a Mars series set for the rest of my playing days.

    Currently, I've got a custom order set, but just a few months ago, I had been using a Saturn V MH Exotic Rock 3-piece shell pack with an additional 16x16 floor tom. The hardware is great on these drums. They are easy to tune and manipulate to your liking.

    I would recommend this brand to anyone looking for a drum set, beginner or otherwise.

  6. Yamaha

    Yamaha drums are by far the best-sounding drums I've ever played (besides DW). Yamaha's higher-end drums, such as the Maple Custom series, produce a really deep, fat, warm, resonant tone that I really haven't heard from some other companies. The durability of the drums is outstanding due to the fact they use the diagonal seam system, which keeps the drums from warping. Yamaha also uses the Air Seal System, which takes all the moisture out of the drums and keeps it out, so you don't have to worry about humidity affecting the sound. I was really shocked to see Yamaha so far down the list. In my opinion, Yamaha should be up in the top 3.

  7. PDP

    PDP is definitely underrated. These drums are very light, and even though they aren't high-quality maple or birch, the sound is still amazing. I have tried most drum companies, and PDP is definitely one of my favorites. It deserves to be number four on this list, in my opinion. Great hardware and awesome pricing for great sound... you can't beat that.

    I have had a CB 700 5-piece, then moved up to a Tama Swing Star. I've been without a set for four years now. But I think, after looking around, I have fallen in love with the PDP 7-piece. I hear and see nothing but good things about PDP, and it's very affordable. I have my mind made up, PDP for sure!

  8. Sonor Drums

    Man, Sonor is so underrated. Their kits sound so nice, and the people put so much effort into making the drums and are so passionate. The quality has to be higher than any other brand. I recently watched Sonor's Prolite video on YouTube, with two guys touring the factory and playing the drums. The video shows how much more effort is put into an individual drum than many other drums.

    The high-end Sonor drums sound nicer than any high-end drums from brands like DW, Pearl, Tama, etc., in my opinion. Sonor should be number one!

    Sonor is great for jazz and other kinds of music. It has excellent tone quality. The shells and the drums themselves are durable and well made. It's a drummer's drum.

    It's not too expensive or too cheap. The price is affordable, and the quality is brilliant. Other brands like Pearl, Yamaha, and Tama may be bigger, but Sonor drums are better in quality.

  9. Gretsch

    I have had many kits over the years, from Pearl to Yamaha to Tama to Ludwig and many others, but none have compared to the sound that Gretsch produces. Their kits are affordable, and the sound is just as good on a cheap Gretsch kit as on an expensive Pearl kit. The shells are some of the best I've had the pleasure of listening to, and their tone is pitch-perfect.

    I've talked to many drummers over the years, and most agree that Gretsch is either the best or second-best make ever. Gretsch kits can accommodate any type of music, from jazz to heavy rock. If you're a beginner, I would recommend a Gretsch kit. Their sound quality and feel would welcome a beginner easily. Their German engineering rings true when you hear the mighty beats of a Gretsch kit.

  10. Premier

    I've played Premier all my life and never really thought of changing. I was given a Mapex shell pack over the summer, so I will give those a go in a gig environment.

    I have been a drum teacher for 22 years now and am truly amazed when youngsters get an electronic kit for Christmas. The sounds are amazing, and when used with an iPhone/iPod, the world of drumming is truly opened up.

    Keith Moon, among many other drummers, has used this brand of drums. I had the pleasure of playing a Premier set a few weeks back, and it was the best set I've ever played.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Doc Sweeney

    A great boutique drum company. Unreal fit and finish.

  12. ?

    Ka'Doris Drumz

    Ka'Doris Drumz/Cymbalz is an up-and-coming company out of Sanford, Florida. Their goal was to make custom drums, but from what I've heard, they were getting the runaround, and some companies were treating them like trash instead of helping them.

    However, they were blessed to start making custom cymbals. I've heard the cymbals, and the feedback and talk about them has been very positive and mind-blowing. Their cymbals look nice, sound great, and the quality of the material is very good.

    For a company that hasn't even been around a year yet, they are very humble, confident about their products, and outgoing in making sure a lot of drummers know about them. From what people are saying about their cymbals, they are the next big thing in the industry. Just watch.

    I give the company four and a half out of five stars.

    13. The Contenders

  13. Wuhan

  14. ddrum

    Lots of great brands, for sure, but giving my vote to ddrum just because they deserve to be higher. 100? Seriously!? Damn good drums without breaking the bank, especially the Dominion birch ash series, with outstanding sound and finishes without breaking the bank, and the only company with which to truly get the "classic" drum sound. Herman Rarebell, Vinny Appice, Carmine Appice, Dave Lombardo, Corky Laing, Jeff Singer, Chris Worley, Robb Reiner, Joey Dandeneau, Steve Asheim, Paul Mazurkiewicz, and of course Vinnie Paul. There's a reason so many iconic and newer players are switching to this brand!

    Pearl is good, Tama is also good, Mapex was good but has already passed, Gretsch is the best in jazz drums, but Yamaha really sucks. Their hardware is actually good, but their drums aren't. They should do bikes, not drums. I prefer ddrum because it is not too expensive and gives us very nice kits with wonderful sound.

  15. Pulse

    I believe Pulse is underrated. The quality and sound that you get from this drum set are incomparable considering how cheap they are to buy. Many people think that because they are less expensive, it means that they are cheaper. Not the case.

    Make sure to give Pulse a chance. I've played on a Yamaha Custom Stage, and a standard Pulse is better sounding and has higher quality.

  16. Pork Pie

    I heard the Pork Pie kick drum and the depth of tone that it had and knew I had to have it. I then heard the snare sound and that finalized my decision. I bought a set three years ago and have never looked back. I have had Pearl, Tama, Ludwig, and DW sets, and the Pork Pie set blows them away.

    Their custom-built drums are signed and dated, and their service is amazing. They also have the coolest finishes. Check out the rosewood/zebra wood kits. Fantastic!

    My first drum set sounds great, and customer service was absolutely amazing. I will have this set for many years!

  17. Crush Drums

    What I like the best about Crush is that you feel like part of a community. When you go out and see someone else playing Crush, there's an immediate connection. I never felt this connection with the top three brands. You see someone else playing Pearl, and it's not a big deal. But if I see another drummer behind a Crush kit, I can't wait to find them later and ask them about their kit and their experiences with it. The folks who run the company are also present on forums and social media, which you won't find too much of from the big three.

    Crush has made a lasting impression on me, and I'm excited to be part of their family.

    I have two Crush kits. I fell in love all over again with my drums after switching from Pearl Drums, which I played for 25 years. Crush drums are A-MA-ZING.

    The finishes on their drums are stunning, the tones are deep and warm, and the build is very solid. I currently own the Sublime Maple and the Limited Reserve Wenge. The price-to-quality ratio is another win-win in my opinion. I don't believe you can find a better, more stunning, high-quality kit anywhere else for the price you pay.

  18. SJC Custom Drums

    SJC has the best service I've ever experienced with an instrument company. Yes, they may be expensive, but they are so worth it. Their custom designs are absolutely amazing, and it seems like there is nothing they can't do. Their customer support is absolutely perfect. Their network for artists and personal artist relations managers is amazing.

    I've been talking to SJC for a while, and they treated me like I was an endorsed artist before I was even endorsed. The SJC family is just perfect, and I have nothing bad to say about them. If I had to say one word to describe them, I'd say perfect.

    If you haven't heard of SJC Drums, then you don't know what you're missing. They are by far the most customizable drum kits on the planet. Those kids will literally do whatever you like.

    All drum companies' high-end drums are great, like DW Collectors, Pearl Masterworks, Spaun, etc. However, OCDP is HIGHLY overrated. I ordered a snare from them for $1200 and was VERY disappointed at the total lack of quality. Needless to say, I was pissed. If you honestly think OCDP is amazing because Travis Barker plays them, you need to get a clue. There are hundreds of other companies that make custom kits for less money which aren't just Keller shells with Gibraltar hardware.

  19. Dixon

    Give these drums another decade, and because of their quality and affordability, they will be the top drum provider in the world. Then they will realize how big they are and sell their good products for higher prices, and everyone will hate them, and they'll die.

    Great new brand. Big things have small beginnings. I think Dixon drums are really going to boom, especially after signing Gregg Bissonette and their impressive precision coil drum pedal.

    What Dixon drums have done in the last few years is truly amazing. The quality (workmanship and sound) of the drums goes head to head against Pearl, Tama, and DW.

  20. Truth

    Have a look at what these guys can do in regard to not only sound but also the presentation of the kit itself. Any design you can think of, these guys can pull it off.

    Look at the artists who play with Truth Drums as opposed to those who play Yamahas or Sonors. No comparison. Truth should be number two, directly behind Tama.

    Great looks, good wood, good sound. The right way to go for metal bands.

  21. Slingerland

    Has Slingerland been forgotten? This was the kit to have in the 70s. Great sound and durability. Buddy Rich used these. An old, reputable company. Top 5 for sure.

    I played Slingerland in three rock groups from 1967 to 1972. They had a great sound, and the shells stood up well to hundreds of gigs. The chrome snare was the best.

    I played a Slingerland Super Dual for decades. Best snare ever! Neil Peart continued to use his Slingerland snares even after signing with Tama!

  22. Ahead

  23. C&C Custom Drums

    C&C drums are really nice. They have six-ply shells and everything is custom.

  24. Dunnett

  25. Aquarian

    The Super Kick 10 is by far the best head I have used. Better than the Remo Power Sonic, Powerstroke Pro, and Powerstroke 3 and 4, in my opinion. I have not tried any Evans heads on my bass because I love the Aquarian SK10. The Super Kick 2 is also a great head. Pity they do not make the Super Kick 10 anymore.

    Just started using this head on my bass drum. It sounds pretty good. I like the muffler it comes with, as it saves me the trouble of doing it myself.

    The most amazing drumheads you could ever play on, especially for jazz, Latin, and blues.

  26. Q Drum Co.

    Check these out before your next list is published. You're missing one of the finest drum companies in business today.

    Can't believe you don't list Q Drum Co. Probably the finest-sounding and highest-quality built drums around anywhere.

    Best-looking and best-sounding drums made anywhere. Should be #1.

  27. Craviotto

    The absolute best drums on the planet. Steam-bent shells. The tone is unmatched.

    Log into YouTube under Memphis Drum Shop and listen to Craviotto drums - mind-blowing.

    Solid shell drums that are meticulously crafted and sound amazing. You just need a second mortgage to purchase them.

    Amazing drum set! I have a Craviotto Jazzette, a Mapex Retrosonic, and C&C Drums. All of them sound amazing, but I'm in love with my Craviotto (yeah, it's very expensive).

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